Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Submit Press Release
  • Toggle search form
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel: American Arabs
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8 American Arabs
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community Activism
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    Arabs and Muslim blast Mayor lightfoot for racist store closings American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host “forum” to explore Mayor Lightfoot’s racist crackdown on Arab stores Activism
  • Imam Jamal Saad leads the more than 1,000 muslim attendees in payer at SeatGeek Stadium's open grounds at the Eid al-Fitr celebration May 2, 2022 in Bridgeview
    Local Illinois officials join Chicagoland Muslims for Eid Celebration at SeatGeek stadium American Arabs
  • DCEO Panel discussion on business support opportunities for all businesses including Arab American businesses, April 26, 2022
    DCEO Access to Capital: Arab American Heritage Month business workshop American Arabs
  • DCEO Celebrates Arab American Heritage Month (AAHM) American Arabs
  • Alderman Raymond Lopez addresses the gathering at an Iftar hosted by Radi Abuhashish Thursday April 21, 2022 joined by Dr. Willie Wilson and other candidates for Chicago Mayor.
    Political candidates join local Arab leaders for Iftar Activism
  • U.S. Congressional Candidate Rob Cruz in the 6th District GOP Primary election June 28, 2022
    Republican Candidate for U.S. Congress, Rob Cruz, Opens a Dialogue with the Palestinian Community American Arabs
  • Peak Rock Capital affiliate completes acquisition of Ziyad Brothers, a leading provider of brander Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot American Arabs
  • April 24, 2022 Illinois DCEO American ArabChamber event
    American Arab Chamber and DCEO host online panel to help Arab Businesses secure funding Activism
  • Oussama Jammal presents Congresswoman Marie Newman with the Courage Award during the USCMO Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner. Photo courtesy of Marie Newman Facebook Page
    Newman endorsed by major Arab and Muslim leaders Activism

RX: ZX Money and Suicide #JimKaz #BigPharma

Posted on February 21, 2015September 29, 2018 By Eileen Fleming No Comments on RX: ZX Money and Suicide #JimKaz #BigPharma
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

By Eileen Fleming

 

It’s always about the money and so pharmaceutical companies eager to grab the attention of doctors and patients are using the letters X and Z in the naming of non-and highly addictive drugs.

X branded drugs include prostate cancer treatment Xtandi, lung cancer drug Xalkori, and Xgeva for cancer that has spread to bone.

The letter Z drugs include Zaltrap for colon cancer, melanoma drug Zelboraf and prostate cancer treatment Zytiga. RX

Only AFTER my brother, James Alexander Kasmir committed suicide on Feb. 11, did I his legal next of kin learn what his diagnoses were and that he had been prescribed multiple drugs that included the letters X or Z!

And I had to raise hell to get that information!

Jim was addicted to seven X or Z pills for the treatment of anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, pain and migraines.

Jim also was taking medication for nausea and gastrointestinal distress that included the letters X or Z.

 

Vince Budd, senior vice president at brand consulting firm Addison Whitney’s spoke regarding popular drugs for depression, “The X and Z trend was pretty hot and heavy eight or nine years ago – that’s when we had names like Zoloft, Zyban and Zocor. It was seen as an opportunity to create something unique. I believe we have come full circle and we are back there again…”

 

Of the 15 drugs with “X” appellations approved by the Food and Drug Administration since 1995, seven were launched in the last two and half years. Marketing and linguistics experts say the rarity of X and Z in most words makes for memorable, unique names using “fricative” letters that imply speed or fluidity.

Neither speed nor fluidity was in play in time to alert Jim’s siblings to his current diagnoses and addictions before he ended his life.

Those who knew Jim from childhood knew he was neurotic; but none of us knew he was addicted to mind altering medications and had been diagnosed with Clinical Depression!

Until Jim married thirteen years ago he was fully self-sufficient and as far as any of us knew he was happily married -that is until the marriage broke up shortly after I saw Jim and his then wife in early 2013.

No mention was made of Jim having been diagnosed with mental illness and neither I, nor my husband an Internist picked up any aberrant behavior.

There were people who knew Jim was suffering a clinical depression and that he would be left rudderless when his divorce was finalized in January which also would end his long term relationship with the “family counselor” Psychiatrist.

WHY didn’t some one contact me that Jim had been expressing suicidal thoughts for the last 18 months because I had the power to commit him to a long term treatment facility!

During this most excruciating time of my life I have searched for answers from those that knew Jim best over the last few months and have been being ignored, stonewalled or attacked but I prefer to address and thank Ventura Medical Examiner James Baroni, who after I published Suicide Prevention: Break the Silence #JimKaz received a reply from Dr. Manipod, because it saved me much time!

The Psychiatrist informed the Medical Examiner that she had never seen my brother because he failed to keep his first three appointments.

I want to know WHY this RED FLAG was missed by those in the know of my brother’s situation.

I want to know WHY on the day he choked his throat he was prescribed Codeine.

I want to know WHY on Feb. 6 [five days before he killed himself] he was given an injection of Decadron a potent steroid contraindicated for patients with depression or any mental problems!

I want to know WHY after my brother was injected with Decadron no one in our family was alerted that he needed to seek medical attention right away if he experienced general body discomfort, headache, muscle pain or mood swings.

 

I want to know WHY I didn’t just phone Jim after he Texted me on Feb. 3rd because just maybe hearing his voice I would have known something was wrong.

MAYBE if Jim had heard mine he would have remembered he could tell his sister anything and he would have opened his throat and let his pain out.

Maybe I could have helped. Maybe not, but being deprived of that opportunity to try propels me to do all I can to prevent any family from going through what mine is.

 

Maybe I Better Call Saul, but I will call Ventura California’s Kaiser Permanente’s Behavioral Health Department seeking to reach the Psychiatrist who had discharged my brother a few weeks before he died of the only preventable and America’s number one new killer!

BACKGROUND:

Suicide Prevention: Break the Silence #JimKaz

 

STOP Another Brother’s Suicide #JimKaz

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Eileen Fleming
Senior Non-Arab Correspondent for TADN at The Arab Daily News
Senior Non-Arab Correspondent for The Arab Daily News
Producer "30 Minutes with Vanunu" who founded WeAreWideAwake.org in response to her first of 8 trips to both sides of The Wall in Palestine Israel.
In 2012, Eileen ran for US House of Representatives District 5, in Fl.
Read her FREE eBooks and more at:http://www.eileenfleming.org/
Latest posts by Eileen Fleming (see all)
  • Vanunu still has more nuclear secrets to spill, Israeli court declares - December 29, 2021
  • 9/11 and a 20th Reflection of That Day - September 5, 2021
  • Mordechai Vanunu: Final Annual Update and this Writers Next Steps - June 19, 2021

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Bloggers, Eileen Fleming, Health Tags:addiction, Better Call Saul, Big Pharma, codependency, depression, James Kasmir, Kaiser Permanente, Medicine, mental health, mental illness, politics, prescription drug addiction, Psychiatry, Religion and Spirituality, suicide, United State, Ventura California, Ventura County Behavioral Health Department

Post navigation

Previous Post: RT Arabic among Top-3 Most Watched News Channels
Next Post: Flashback: A very special Oscars Night

Related Posts

  • The Fifty Day Dying: A Look Back at the War on Gaza Arab World
  • Paris view. Photo courtesy of Abdennour Toumi
    Le Rapprochement: An American in Paris Abdennour Toumi
  • Earth Day, Science Marches and Earth Day Church American Arabs
  • State of Palestine and Nakba 67 American Arabs
  • Al Jazeera wins top honors at London Online Media Awards Arab World
  • Baby Boomer Overuse Syndrome and a Wabi Sabi Yogi Recovery Bloggers

More Related Articles

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church Pastor Rev. Fouad Saba with American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem at a property tax refund workshop organized by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas where nearly $90,000 in tax overpayments were refunded American Arab Chamber of Commerce deserves our support Activism
Would the Arabs be Free Without a State? Abdennour Toumi
420: Trump’s Inaugural and the Israeli Connection American Arabs
CNN’s Chris Cuomo pressed Netanyahu on Israel’s WMD and Slipped in The Truth Arab World
Young girl injured by Israeli fire inspires calls for freedom from Israeli oppression Arab World
The Ambassador of Morocco (2nd from left) greets Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley (2nd from right) at his City Hall office to receive a commemoration honoring the special relationship between America and Morocco. Picture center is Baker Lemseffer who was the director of the CHicago office of the Morocco Cultural Center. On the right is Col. Jack Reilly and on the left is a Moroccan aid who accompanied the Ambassador. The story was the main story in a 1976 issue of The Middle Eastern Voice Newspaper published by Ray Hanania in Chicagoland. Photo (C) Copyright 1976-2017 Ray Hanania. All Rights Reserved Morocco celebrates longest relationship with America American Arabs

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Palestinian refugees forced to flee their homes at gunpoint by Jewish terrorist groups operating in Palestine in the 1930s, 1940s and after Israel was created on May 14, 1948. Photo courtesy of the United Nations
    Unresolved status of Palestinian rights makes UNRWA essential
    May 7, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • Chicago's racist Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered more than 150 Arab owned stores closed in 2021 in a racist effort o fight street gang crimes
    Arab Daily News launches Arab American Network to fight racism
    March 12, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel:
    May 24, 2022
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8
    May 23, 2022
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • Former City Hall reporter Ray Hanania, ShawnTe Raines-Welch and Nick Kantas, candidates for Judge in the 4th SubCircuit, and Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar.
    Nearly 100 candidates, officials address Arab Democratic Club forum Sunday
    May 15, 2022
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Imad Hamad Director American Human Rights Council
    AHRC Calls for Moral Consistency on Human Rights, Urges President Biden to Pause His Trip to Israel:
    May 24, 2022
  • The U.S.S. Liberty photo courtesy of the USS Liberty Veterans.
    Survivors of Israel’s strike on USS Liberty commemorate 55th year June 6 – 8
    May 23, 2022
  • AHRC Logo new Feb 2021
    AHRC hosts an open meeting with TSA & community
    May 19, 2022
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Chicago aldermen to host forum on Arab businesses closed by Mayor Lightfoot
    April 15, 2022

The Tabboun Column

The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
  • Tabboun
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Political Grapevine/The Tabboun, Friday Dec. 16, 2021
    December 16, 2021
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Chicago remains strongest Palestine voice
    September 7, 2016
  • The Tabboun: Israeli human rights violations hit
    June 30, 2016
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    Tabboun: Himes questions troop deployment to Syria
    November 3, 2015
  • The Political Grapevine Political Tabboun. Original photo by tim-mossholder-KX1BBNY69Ao-unsplash
    The Tabboun: Dearborn removes statue of racist former mayor
    September 29, 2015

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • HANANIA Arab News Op-Eds
  • Ukraine conflict gives Palestinians chance to redefine their conflict
    March 9, 2022
  • Mishmeshan PHC medical center destroyed in Syrian Government assaults. Photo courtesy of UOSSM Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations
    President Biden’s dyslexic policy in Syria is a mess
    October 20, 2021
  • Annissa Essaibi George and family
    Annissa Essaibi George faces “race hypocrisy” in campaign to be Boston Mayor
    October 20, 2021
  • Jerusalem image of Jews and Arabs walking together. Shutterstock. Courtesy of Arab News Newspaper
    Jewish Michigan lawmaker leads push for Two State Solution
    October 7, 2021
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • Girl Fighters, new book on Yemen Book Cune Press
    New Book: Girl Fighters: Break Tradition in Yemen 
    October 25, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • Hollywood Sign
    Will Smith violence takes Oscar protests to dangerous level
    March 31, 2022
  • 03-30-22 Arab Chamber Heritage Month Flyer
    Arab Chamber to host Arab Heritage Month dinner March 30
    March 14, 2022
  • “Rupture”, the psychological thriller produced by MBC STUDIOS, has won Best Saudi Film at the 2021 Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF).
    MBC GROUP’s Rupture wins Best Saudi Film at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival
    December 15, 2021
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2022 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme